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Muncie clergy and United Way partner to fight poverty

Juli Metzger
Published 4:00 p.m. ET Dec. 2, 2017

Shown are members of the Collectie Coalition of Concerned Clergy and United Way officials, front row: Pastor Edward Long, Antioch Baptist Church and Bishop Royce Mitchell, Deliverance Temple. Middle row: Jenni Marsh, president and CEO United Way of Delaware County; Pastor Andre Mitchell, Deliverance Temple and WaTasha Barnes Griffin, United Way of Delaware County Campaign Leadership Team. Back row:
Pastor Robert Scaife, Union Missionary Baptist Church; Apostle Iry Hogan, New Kingdom Builders; Pastor Jonathan Mitchell, Kirby Avenue Church of God and Casey Stanley, United Way of Delaware County 2017 Campaign Chair.(Photo: Provided)

Muncie’s Collective Coalition of Concerned Clergy (CCCC) is partnering with United Way of Delaware County in its campaign to end generational poverty and help raise dollars.

“On behalf of the Collective Coalition of Concerned Clergy and its member churches, we are happy to come together with United Way to eradicate generational poverty in Delaware County. We believe that good is seldom done by accident, and neither is it the single responsibility of any one group. We are excited and look forward to working united,” said Kevin Woodgett, president of The Collective Coalition of Concerned Clergy and pastor of Church of the Living God in Muncie.

Casey Stanley, chairperson for the 2017-18 United Way campaign, explained the collaboration signals a renewed focus by UWDC to engage with the city’s African-American community.

“United Way wants to be more purposeful as an organization beyond a single year’s fundraising campaign,” Stanley said. “This is just one way they’re doing that.”

Stanley said United Way is looking for more ways to connect with more people throughout the county. For many, the church is a central gathering place.

“Our churches are some of the best places to find the hearts and souls of our communities,” Stanley said. “It’s where we need to be to share what we do and the difference United Way can make for our neighbors. We’re grateful to these church leaders for recognizing our desire to do that and giving us this opening to tell our story.”

The CCCC has provided the African American Community with a forum for discussion, support and a voice that is heard. The organization, which includes 29 predominately African-American churches, will turn to their member-congregations on Sunday, Dec. 10 for a campaign collection, a gesture UWDC hopes will be replicated in other churches throughout Muncie and Delaware County.

“We are honored as clergy to stand with United Way in this initiative. Our communities are much stronger when we undergird each other together. What a unique opportunity we have to become partners through congregational cooperation with United Way. This community effort has the potential to make a tremendous impact. United we can make a difference,” said Andre Mitchell, pastor of Deliverance Temple Church in Muncie.

Jenni Marsh, president and CEO, said a more intentional effort to diversify United Way’s Board of Directors to include all races, ethnicities, religions and walks of life, will make the organization stronger.

“Our goal to end generational poverty requires a full-on focus,” Marsh said. “None of us have all the answers. We need more voices in our board room, bringing a range of thought and potential solutions.”

Nearly half the households in Delaware County either live in poverty or are one unplanned financial event away from it, according to United Way, whose funding of community non-profits focuses on early childhood education, thereby addressing generational poverty.

By providing children with early education opportunities, UWDC says it can help break this challenging cycle, ultimately spur economic growth, and build a stronger workforce.

By 2024, United Way endeavors to improve grade-level reading performance among third-graders, a known indicator for future success. Already, the local United Way has moved the needle. Delaware County was recently one of just 15 communities out of 240 across the country that showed significant improvement in third-grade reading scores. Educational attainment is known to have a direct effect on conquering generational poverty. When children are reading at grade level by third grade, studies show there is a greater likelihood of success.

“We can’t really make sustained changes without everyone in the community taking part and having a voice on how we get there,” Stanley said. “These hard-working families live in our neighborhoods, they’re in our schools, and they’re in our congregations.”